Insight into the creative processes and collaborations behind the interior design of the double award-winning 44m/144’ aluminium sailing yacht Salperton III (now Artemis); Part 2 of 2.

Because Salperton III was already in-build when we won the contract to design the interior we had some immediate technical challenges to overcome. We had to work quickly together with the shipyard to establish the interior design and to accommodate it together with the technical installation.

Upper Saloon. Photo: Winfried Heinze

The owner wanted the upper saloon seating area to be maximised to create an open feeling and we had to find a route for the air ducts from the engine room to the outlets on deck via the saloon without compromising the seating. I produced a number of hand sketches (prior to the shipyard’s 3D computer models) to prove it could be done whilst maintaining the necessary cross-sectional area of the ducts. A boxing providing headroom for the guest showers was located directly below the saloon and the engine room headroom also had to be considered.

The other challenge we managed to overcome was hiding the structural pillars in the owner’s cabin which would provide support for the main sheet track on deck. We worked closely with the shipyard and Dubois Naval Architects to tweak the layout to enable the pillars to fit within the hanging lockers so they would neither be seen, nor compromise the usable hanging space.

Moving on to the more decorative side of the interior, the fabrics on-board were from Andrew Martin, Parkertex and Kravet, the latter of which included some signature patterned fabrics by a designer I very much admire; Barbara Barry. We used her ‘Script’ design in the owner and VIP cabins in two different colourways. This was a fabric I had shown in my early watercolour renderings so I was delighted to be able to carry it through the client selection process to the finished interior.

Owner’s Cabin Watercolour Rendering: Adam Lay 2005

Porta Romana provided the decorative lighting with the saloon lamps hand finished in bronze to relate to the bronze on the bar and coffee tables.

Porta Romana Table Lamps. Photo: Winfried Heinze

The artwork is a combination of pieces that were selected on behalf of the owner along with some pieces bought by the owner on his travels. Duncan MacGregor is well known for his abstract yachting paintings, Stephen Lees is now working from Quay Street in Lymington, UK and Melt Designs provided hand-made fused glass pieces for the passageway leading to the guest cabins. Finally Simon Allen, an artist I have admired since I saw his work on the Isles of Scilly, provided the beautifully shimmering and elegant sculptural artwork for the lower saloon forward bulkhead.

Lower Saloon from the Upper Saloon. Photo Winfried Heinze

Our design influence stretched to the design of the exterior helm consoles, the cockpit centre console and the polished stainless steel handrail details. We also provided the artwork for the boom logo and transom logo producing visuals initially to confirm the size and orientation of the lettering and Griffin logo before supplying the final designs at full size.

Cockpit Handrail Detail. Photo: Winfried Heinze

In 2008, Salperton III won a Showboats Award for ‘Best Sailing Yacht 30m to 45m’ and a World Superyacht Award for ‘Best Sailing Yacht 30m to 44m’.